The real reason Ferguson has military weapons

By Kara Dansky

updated 6:03 PM EDT, Tue August 19, 2014

Protesters march in Ferguson, Missouri, on Thursday, August 21. The St. Louis suburb has been in turmoil since a white police officer, Darren Wilson, fatally shot an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, on August 9. Some protesters and law enforcement officers have clashed in the streets, leading to injuries and arrests.

A crowd gathers in Ferguson on August 21. With the situation appearing to calm, Gov. Jay Nixon ordered the Missouri National Guard to begin withdrawing from the city.

Police escort a Wilson supporter to a police vehicle, away from crowds protesting Brown's death on Wednesday, August 20. Police have said Brown and Wilson struggled over the officer's gun; some witnesses said Brown had his hands in the air when he was shot.

Lightning streaks over protesters on August 20.

Demonstrators protest on August 20.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder meets with Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol at a Ferguson restaurant on August 20. Holder came to Missouri to talk to community leaders and review the federal civil rights investigation into Brown's shooting.

Protesters march through the streets of Ferguson on August 20.

Police point out a demonstrator who has his arms raised before moving in to arrest him Tuesday, August 19.

People watch from inside a restaurant as protesters rally August 19.

Police arrest a demonstrator on August 19.

Police charge into the media work area with weapons drawn as they try to control demonstrators on August 19.

A protester speaks to a police officer on August 19.

People on August 19 stand near a memorial where Brown was shot and killed.

Protesters march on August 19.

Police watch as protesters march August 19.

A demonstrator is arrested on August 19.

Police try to control protesters on Monday, August 18.

Police lead a man away during a protest August 18.

A demonstrator shouts during a protest on West Florissant Avenue, one of Ferguson's main streets, on August 18.

Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol pulls his men back from aggressive protesters on August 18.

Police arrest a demonstrator August 18 after peaceful protests gave way to angry confrontations with authorities.

Law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest on West Florissant Avenue on August 18.

A woman helps a man affected by tear gas August 18. The situation overnight deteriorated after a handful of protesters threw rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at police. Officers responded by firing stun grenades and tear gas canisters.

Officers stand with weapons drawn during a protest on West Florissant Avenue on August 18.

Musician Nelly, center, joins demonstrators in Ferguson on August 18.

Demonstrators receive red roses as they protest August 18.

Demonstrators march on August 18.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson shakes hands with a police officer as he visits Ferguson's demonstration area on August 18.

A protester picks up a tear gas canister on Sunday, August 17.

Police wait to advance after using tear gas to disperse protesters August 17.

Water gets poured into a woman's eyes after a tear gas attack by police on August 17.

A man runs through clouds of tear gas on August 17.

Protesters react as police fire tear gas at them August 17.

Police advance through a cloud of tear gas on August 17. Most of the crowd had dispersed after a curfew went into effect at midnight, St. Louis County authorities said.

People take cover from tear gas inside a McDonald's on August 17.

A large group of police officers advance toward protesters on August 17.

A man fights the effects of tear gas in Ferguson on August 17.

Michael Brown Sr. and Lesley McSpadden, the parents of Michael Brown, attend a rally at Greater Grace Church in Ferguson on August 17.

The Rev. Al Sharpton hugs McSpadden during the rally.

Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol speaks at the rally. He had been appointed by the governor to take control of security operations.

Demonstrators defy a curfew early on August 17.

Police fire tear gas at demonstrators after curfew on August 17.

A law enforcement officer aims his rifle August 17 after tear gas was fired to disperse a crowd.

People scramble as police fire tear gas on August 17.

Law enforcement officers check a building on August 17.

People attend a protest after the midnight curfew on August 17.

A law enforcement officer watches as tear gas is fired to disperse a crowd on August 17.

Police stand guard before the midnight curfew on Saturday, August 16.

People loot the Ferguson Market and Liquor store on August 16. Several businesses were looted as police held their positions nearby.

Missouri State Highway Patrol officers listen to taunts from demonstrators during a protest on Friday, August 15.

Demonstrators protest with their hands up on August 15. The "hands up" gesture has become a symbol in protests as Brown, according to eyewitnesses, was trying to surrender when he was shot multiple times.

Police confront demonstrators on August 15.

A demonstrator throws a tear gas canister back at police on August 15.

Police confront demonstrators on August 15.

Thousands of demonstrators march down a Ferguson street with members of the St. Louis County Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Thursday, August 14.

Demonstrators hold signs as traffic moves slowly past them on August 14.

State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson smiles at demonstrators on August 14. Johnson was appointed to lead security as state troopers took over after days of clashes between protesters and local police.

The Rev. Traci Blackmon uses a megaphone to talk to a large group of demonstrators on August 14.

A man picks up a flaming bottle and prepares to throw it as a line of police advance in the distance on Wednesday, August 13.

Police stand in clouds of smoke as they clash with protesters on August 13.

An Al-Jazeera television crew runs for cover as police fire tear gas at its position on August 13. Video and images on social media showed police later breaking down the journalists' gear.

(CNN) -- It used to be billy clubs, fire hoses and snarling German shepherds. Now it's armored personnel carriers and flash-bang grenades. The weaponry has changed, but the target is still the same.

If some of the photos from Ferguson last week were in black and white, you might confuse them with scenes from the 1950s south. White police officers beating black protestors. Young black men lying face down in the street with police officers standing over them with assault rifles.

We have a long history of aggressively policing communities of color in America. Police have treated black and brown people like the enemy for decades. In that context, the recent events in Ferguson in the wake of Michael Brown's shooting come as no surprise. But they go way beyond Ferguson.

What we're witnessing is the militarization of policing, and it has become commonplace in towns across America.

Every year, the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Justice funnel billions' worth of dollars and military equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies to help them amass arsenals of combat-ready weaponry, according to our report "War Comes Home: The Excessive Militarization of American Policing." Two of the armored vehicles patrolling St. Louis right now were purchased with these federal funds. An estimated 600 police departments have received Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, which are tanks built to withstand armor-piercing roadside bombs. In the years since the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, this sort of federal funding has only become more available for state and local police departments.

Ferguson police tactics under scrutiny

We're told that part of the impetus for the federal agencies is to get rid of surplus military equipment. But that's certainly not the whole reason.

Pentagon to examine weapons program

Stunning images of unrest in Ferguson

Who started violence in Ferguson?

Source: Interview matches cop's account

Who started violence in Ferguson?

At least one third of the wartime weapons flowing to state and local police departments are brand new. The better explanation is that the militarization of state and local police is a deliberate strategy funded by the federal government to aggressively fight the failed "war on drugs." As has always been true of the war on drugs, the battlegrounds are disproportionately in communities of color.

This deliberate strategy explains why almost 80% of the paramilitary raids we studied were to search homes (usually for drugs); why SWAT teams forced their way into people's homes using military equipment like battering rams 60% of the time; and why they were 14 times more likely to deploy flash-bang grenades, originally invented to ambush wartime enemies, in drug raids than during SWAT raids for other purposes.

And just has been true for decades, our police's most aggressive tactics are doing disproportionate damage to communities of color. Overall, 54% of people impacted by the paramilitary searches were people of color. Dumping weapons and equipment designed for overseas combat into local neighborhoods is only adding dangerous fuel to the fire of aggressive policing.

It might be tempting to think that the brutal tactics we've seen are the result of a few bad police officers. It might be comforting to think this is a fluke. And that might be partially true. But when the government arms cops like soldiers, trains them in counter-insurgency tactics, tells them they are fighting an enemy, we should expect this type of combustive, tragic result.

But that doesn't mean we should accept the status quo. We need to change it.

It's time for Congress to rein in its support for programs like the Department of Defense's 1033 program that allows the Pentagon to dole out weapons and stop the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security from handing out cash to police departments.

Cutting this funding is part of a larger recognition that aggressively fighting the war on drugs has failed to abate drug use and instead done incredible damage to communities. The federal government must recognize that the funding currently going toward this war can and should be spent on more effective interventions like drug and mental health treatment and housing.

Concurrently, state and local governments should constrain the ability of law enforcement to raid people's homes and police neighborhoods using wartime weapons and tactics. Part of the reason this hasn't happened yet is that many people were simply unaware of how militarized our police have become. The events in Ferguson should dispel any illusions people may have about that.

It's time for the federal government to stop financing a siege on communities of color.